Cable PD Testing Services

IPEC offer online Cable PD Testing and Location services for distribution networks. Our team of engineers conduct regular testing alongside our monitoring systems and test equipment to help customers identify and locate weak points on their network through the detection of Partial Discharge within underground and insulated cable systems, even in high noise environments.

When partial discharge activity is detected remotely in a cable, cable joint or other accessory, IPEC can locate the defect to within 1% of the cable length. All of our testing is conducted online whilst the cable is under normal operational conditions.

Equipment

MV, HV, EHV cables, 6.6kV to 500kV

Cable Terminations

Cable Joints

Upto 4km from test point

Cable PD Testing Service

IPEC’s Cable PD Testing service has three main phases;

Testing cable circuit to Identify and confirm the presence of genuine PD, using the proven DeCIFer® algorithm within the PrecisePD our test engineers can identify signs of discharge within high noise environments.

Using TDR (Time-Domain Refractometry) methods, in conjunction with IPEC’s iPD cable mapping system, our expert engineers locate the source of the PD to an average of 1% of the cable length. Our engineers then perform a ‘reverse’ cable PD location to further narrow down the discharging area of cable/cable joint.

Finally, our engineers use IPEC’s own Autopulser device in conjunction with the iPD to give an accurate cable length measurement. This cable length (as measured by TDR methods), in conjunction with the calculated PD location, will give the most accurate insight in to the cables current condition through the generation of a cable map.

Included with every cable PD test is a comprehensive report. Within the report is all relevant test data such as PD verification shots, PD precedence test results, cable length (as recorded by TDR methods) and cable PD location results in both directions.

In conjunction with a full conclusion, we provide recommended actions bespoke for the type of discharge/defect that may have been located.